Bearing.



No. 879,578. PATENTED FEB.18, 1908.

I. oseooni BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.4, 1906.

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oQt-torney.

:IHE NORRIS PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, b. c.

No. 79,573. PATENTED FEB, 18, 1908.

' LOSGOOD.

BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 19 06.

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W QM Q 7 orzzey-v ISAAC OSGOOD, OF AME SBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

BEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed October 4. 1906. Serial No. 337.350.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo Oseoon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Amesbury, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bearings, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawmgs. I

The invention relates, more particularly, to u right bearings. In thecase of bearings of tiis class it is difficult to effect properlubrication of the relatively moving contact surfaces. Oil or otherfluid or viscid lubricant supplied thereto gradually works downward, andalthough capillary attraction will operate to keep the lubricant raisedmore or less above the bottoms of the said surfaces, the height to whichthis will take place effectively is not very great. Consequently, theupper portions of upright bearings tend to work dry.

The object of the invention is to provide means for feeding lubricant toupright bearings so that the upper portions of the contacting surfacesof a bearing of such class, as well as the remaining portions below,shall be kept sup lied, and for circulating the lubricant andistributing the same lengthwise of the bearing.

In accordance with the invention, I form one of the coactingbearing-surfaces of an upright bearing with a continuous return groovewinding around the same obliquely in reverse directions lengthwise ofthe upper portion of the bearing, and I provide in conjunction with suchgroove a ocket or well for lubricant, with which poo et or Well theelevated portion of the groove communicates and from which lubricantpasses into the said portion of the groove. The lubricant which thusenters the said elevated portion of the groove fills the groove and iscaused by the relative rotation of the surfaces aforesaid to circulatethroughout all portions of the groove. From the groove all portions ofthe bearing surfaces within the length of the vertical extent ortraverse of the groove are kept supplied with the lubricant, whichlatter gradually working downward also keeps the lower portions of thebearing surfaces supplied. I form in addition one or more continuousspiral return grooves in one of the bearing surfaces below the groovefirst mentioned, the additional groove or grooves interlapping with thegroove first mentioned and with one another without intersecting. Theseadditional grooves collect the lubricant as it passes downward withinthe bearing, forming storage pockets for the lubricant, within which thelatter is caused to circulate while rotation is maintained and fromwhich the lubricant finds its way to the intervening portions of thecontacting surfaces. From the interlapping of the various grooves itresults that although the different grooves do not intersect oneanother, complete lubrication of all portions of the bearing surfaces iseffected. The grooves retain more or less lubricant at all times. Inaddition, by means of the grooves lubricant which may have collected atthe bottom of the bearing while rotation has been suspended will beraised and carried upward by the successive grooves to the higherportions of the bearing.

The drawings illustrate different embodiments of the features of theinvention.

In the drawings,Figure 1 shows in elevation a cylindrical bearingsurface grooved in conformity with the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevationof the opposite half of the surface which is represented in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a plan view of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a development in a plan ofthe bearing surface of the preceding figures. Fig. 5 is a view invertical transverse section of a bearing. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11are similar views showing other embodiments of the invention.

Referring, first, to Fig. 5, at 1 and 2 are parts which are operativelyrelated with each other after the manner of a bearing, the interior part1 being shown as cylindrical in crosssection, and the outer part 2surrounding the former. The surface 21 of the bore within or through thepart or member 2 constitutes one bearing surface, while the outersurface 31 of a bush or bushing 3 which is fixed upon the exterior ofthe cylinder 1 constitutes the other bearing surface. Part 2 may consistof a fixed or stationary bearing member, suitably mounted or supported,and part 1 may be a rotatable shaft, or the latter part may be a fixedstud or pin, and the former a rotata ble wheel, pulley or the like. Thegroove or grooves is or are formed in the surface 81 of the bush orbushing 3. Having reference more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, thegroove which is formed in the upper portion of the bearing surface 31 isdesignated 32. Beginning at the elevated point 321, Figs. 1 and 4, thesaid groove extends spirally around the surface 31 first downward to thepoint 322, Figs. 2 and 4, and then upward again to the point ofbeginning. The pocket or well from which lubricant is supplied to thegroove 32 is designated 4 in Fig. 5. In the said figure it consists ofan annular chamber above the upper end of the bush or bushing 3 andlocated between the upper portion of the outer part or member 2 and theinner part or member 1. In Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the highest portion of thegroove 321 intersects the top edge of the bush or bushing forming anopening for the admission of lubricant from the pocket or well 4 intothe groove. 33 and 34 are the additional 'rooves which are formed in thesurface 31 below the groove 32. Each thereof is a continuous spiralgroove winding first in one direction lengthwise of'the stud, and thenreturning in the opposite direction along the latter. From thischaracteristic, which is shared in common with the groove 32, I term thegrooves return grooves. In the case of the grooves 33 and 34 therespective portions of each of such grooves cross each other asindicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. As will be seen from Fig. 4 each completegroove is separated from the one below it, but the downwardly extendingbend of one groove extends to a lower point than the top of the upwardlyextending bend of the next groove below, thereby producing theinterlappin which is most clearly apparent in Fig. 4. is previouslystated herein the different grooves do not intersect one another.

Each groove constitutes a spiral container for oil or other lubricant.hen the latter is supplied to the pocket or well 4 it finds access tothe top groove 32 by way of the entrance at 321 and fills such groove, aportion thereof passing down into the next groove 33. Some of the oilorlubricant works its way down into the groove 34. By the relativerotation of the bearing surfaces the lubricating material is kept incontinuous circulation within each groove, thus keeping bearing surfaceswell supplied between the top and bottom points which are reached by thegroove. Inasmuch as the grooves interlap with each other in the mannerabove stated, no portion of the len ths of the bearing surfaces is leftunsupplie When rotation is discontinued, a large proportion of thelubricating material remains held within the respective grooves. Whenrotation is resumed the said material is again caused to circulate. Itwill be perceived that as already described the foregoing arrangement ofgrooves will operate to raise the lubricating material from anaccumulation at the bottom of the bearing and feed the same into theupper grooves.

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the bush orbushing 3 is fixed within the interior of the bore of the part or member2, and has the grooves formed in the inner surface thereof.

Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the groovesare formed in the exterior surface of the cylindrical part 1, the pocketor well for liquid material being formed by causing the top portions ofthe part 2 and bush 3 to project above the upper end of the said part 1.

Fig. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention resembling that ofFig. 6 but in which the grooves are formed in the surface of the part 1,and in which also the upper portion or bend of the groove 32 rises abovethe bottom of the pocket or well 4 so as to receive the oil or lubricantfrom the said pocket or well.

Fig. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the invention resembling that inFig. 7, but having the grooves formed in the inner surface of the bushor bushing 3, and the upper portion of the top groove 32 rising abovethe upper end of the cylindrical part or member 1.

Fig. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which thecylindrical part or member 1 has the grooves formed in its exteriorsurface, the pocket or well 4 being formed by chambering out the upperend of the bush or bushing 3.

In Fig. 11 the grooves are formed in the upper surface of the bush orbushing 3, the pocket or well 4 being provided by reducing in diameterthe upper end of the cylindrical part or member 1.

What is claimed as the invention is 1. In an upright bearing, incombination, coacting bearings, one thereof formed with a continuousreturn groove winding around the v same obliquely in reverse directionslengthwise of the upper portion of the bearing, the said bearing havingin conjunction with the said groove a lubricant pocket with which theelevated portion of the groove communicates and from which lubricantpasses into the groove, and also having below the said groove one ormore obliquely extending grooves interlapping with the former and withone another without intersecting.

2. In an upright bearing, in combination, coacting bearings, one thereofformed with a continuous return groove winding around the same obliquelyin reverse directions lengthwise of the upper portion of the bearing,the said bearing having in conjunction with the said groove a lubricantpocket with which the elevated portion of the groove communicates andfrom which lubricant passes into the groove, and also having below thesaid terlapping With each other Without intersectgroove one or morecontinuous spiral return 111g. 10 grooves interlapping with the formerand In testimony whereof I a'HiX my signature With one another Withoutintersecting. in presence of two Witnesses.

3. In a vertical bearing for a rotating part, ISAAC OSGOOD. thecombination of the said part and its bear- \Vitnesses: ing, one thereofhaving continuous spiral CHAS. F. RANDALL,

return grooves, one above the other, and in- EDITH J. ANDERSON.

